Well drilling rigs



Dec. 10, 1957 A. ANDREATTA WELL DRILLING RIGs 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 22, 1955 iwf/'xfa iframe? Dec. 10, 1957 Filed Dec. 22, 1955 A. ANDREATTA WELL DRILLING RIGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent G WELL DRILLING RGS Antonio Andreatta, Walsenburg, Colo.

Application December 22, 1955,` Serial No. 554,748

4 Claims. (Cl. Z55-13) This invention relates to =a well drilling rig, andimore particular-ly to av relatively small,l lightweight, portable rig which can be easily transported in the bed cfa pickup truck or other vehicle and easily transported from job to job. The rig has been found exceedingly valuable for drilling prospect holes in rock formations to determine the possibilities of mineral values, such as uranium.

The principal object of "the invention is to provide a highly efficient, lightweight, portable device which will impart drilling reciprocation rto standard well drilling tools for rapidly drilling vertical drill holes in rock formations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a highly eflc-ient mechanism for lifting and dropping a standard wellk drilling bit.

Other objects: and advantagesreside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. IThese will become more ap-A` parent from. the following description.

In' kthe following detailed description. of the invention, reference isV had to the .accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals` refer to like parts` in all vie-ws of the drawing and throughout the description..

lIn the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view of the improved well drilling rig :as it would appeazl'irL-use;v

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary topiview'thereof;

Fig. 3 is .a front view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken' on the lineV 4&4, Fig; l; and

IFig. 5`v is 4an enlarged detail" section, taken on the line 5 5; Fig. 1i

The improved drilling' rig comprises la. rigid, open, boxlike frame consisting of vertical framemernlbersv 10,preferabfly formed from angle iron, arisingfrom Ia rectangular base frame 11", preferably formed from` channel ifron. The vertical' fianie rriemlersvr support'l a rectangular top frame 12, :also preferably formed from channel iron. The open-b-ox-like frame may be rested on the ground or mounted on the chassis of the truck or other vehicle, such as indicated at 51 in Fig. l, the suitable U-bolts 52 being provi-ded for anchor purposes.

The base frame 11 supports an internal combustion engine 13, preferably of the small, air cooled `type such as used on lawn mowers and -other relatively small powerdriven devices. The engine 13 drives a countershaft 14 through the medium of a `drive pulley 15, a driven pulley 16, and an endless V-belt 17. The countershaft 14 is supported in and extends 'between two vertical, spacedapart -bearing plates 18 mounted .on ycross frame members 19 and 30 in the base frame 11. A drive pinion 20 is mounted on the countershaf-t 14 and meshes with a drive gear 21 mounted on a main shaft 22. The main shaft 22 is also journalled in `and extends lbetween the bearing plates 18. A pair of palellel, spaced-apart crank discs 23 are xedly mounted on the main shaft 22 intermediate the bearing plates 18 and a crank pin 24 extends 2,815,929 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 ice Z betweenl the Vdiscs 23 in eccentric relation to the axis of the main shaft 22.

A rocker `arm 25y i-s tiltably mounted upon a rocker arm shaft 26k which is supported between suitable bearing straps 27 mounted on two vertical struts 28 extending between the frames 11 and 12. The rocker .arm shaft 26v is positioned at #a higher elevation than the main shaft 22, and the rear extremitity of the rocker arm 25 extends a short' dis-tance between the two crank discs 23 so .as to be 4alternately engaged and disengaged .by crank pin 24 during the course of its rotary movement. The forward extremity .of the rocker arm is normally supported upon a cushion block 29 of rubber or other cushioning material carried on a cross frame member 30.

A boom consisting of lan A-frame 31 arises from suitable hinge structures 32 a't the forward extremity of the base frame 11. The A-frame inclines forwardly from the main frame and is supported therefrom by means of hooked rods 33 which are hooked into attachment ears 34 on the A-frame 31 and similar attachment ears 35 arise 'from the -top frame 12. A pulley shaft 36 is mounted in the top of the A=frame 31 lupon which .a drilling lpulley 37 arid a 'bailer pulley 38 are mounted.

A drillingcfable reel 39 and a bailer cable reel 4t) are mounted in the top frame 12. The drilling reel 39 is fixed upon a tubular shaft 41 terminating in a hand crank 42 .and the bailer cable reel 48 is xedly mounted on an' axle shaft 43 rotatably tit-ted into the tubular shaft 41 Iand terminating in a hailing crank 44. Each of the reels 39 and 40 is provided with la ratchet wheel 45 and with asuitable ratchet dog 46 to prevent `reverse rotation of the reels Iwhen desired.

A bailing-cabletl is wound abou-t the cable reel 4l) and extends upwardly over `the bailer pulley 38 thence downwardly to any suitable hailing tool for recovering debris from lthe well. When not in use the bailer cfable is tiedof a`s indicated inFig. l.

A drill-ing cable 47 is wound Iupon the drilling `cable reel` 39A and extends'forwardly therefrom beneath a sheave 48 mounted on` the Aforward extremity ofthe rocker arm 25 thence upwardly over the drilling pulley 37 and downwardly to a standard drilling Ibit positioned in theV well being drilled or the casing thereof suc-h ras indicated at 49 in Fig. l. The drilling bit may 4be a relatively small replica of any of the conventional varieties usedon standardvr drilling, rigs; suchE asa chisel point drill or a star drill or'acore' drill, as: desired.

=I-n` operation, the drilling cable reel 33 is rotated sof astosupport the drill bit with its drilling extremity in Contact with-.the rock. bottom of the well when the rocker arm 25 is in the solid line position of KFig. l. The engine 13 is then startedI so as to rotate the crank discs 23 in a clock-wise direction in Fig. l. This will cause the crank pin 24 to travel about a circular `arc so that it will rise in contact with the bottom of the rear extremity of the rocker arm 25 to force the latter upwardly, as shown in broken line in Fig. l, This upward movement of the rea-r extremity of the rocker arm causes a corresponding downward lmovement of the forward extremity thereof so that the sheave 43 will pull downwardly against the driil-ing cable 47 to lift the drill bit from the rock bottom.

When the crank pin 24 passes from beneath the rocker arm 25, the rear extremity of the latter will drop to its former position, urged by the 'weight of the drill bit and the drilling cable, so as to return Ato the solid line position of Fig. l until again eng-aged by the crank pin 24. The shock of the dropping extremity is absorbed in part by 4the cushion block 29. This allows the drill bit to freely and successively drop under the influence of gravity against the rock bottom to exert 'a drilling action thereon.

As the well or hole increases in depth, the drilling cable 47 is gradually unreeled from the reel 39 by releasing the ratchet dog 46 the desired number of teeth so thatthe desired drilling impact onthe rock continues throughout the depth of the hole.

When the drilling becomes impeded by rock chips, rock dust, and other debris, 'the drill bit is withdrawn by rotation of the crank 42 annd a conventional bailer is lowered into the well by rotation of the crank 44 so as to bail the debris from the well suspended in the -well water in accord with standard drilling practise. l

While the reel 39 has been described as the drilling cable reel and the reel 40 as the bailing reel, it is conceivable Ithat either reel could be used for either purpose. It is also conceivable that only a single pulley could be placed at the top of the A-frame 31 in place of the two pulleys 37 and 38 in which oase the drilling cable would be removed from the single pulley and replaced by the bailing ca-ble when desired.

lIt -is desired to call particular attention to the small size and light weight of the entire rig. 'In actual practise, the box-like frame is l x 30 X 18 in size, the A-frame 31 is 108" high Iand the rocker arm 25 is 36" long. T he entire rig fully equipped .weighs approximately v200 lbs. It is therefore ideally port-able for prospecting purposes. v

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may -be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A light portable well drilling rig 4for alternately actuating a cable carrying a dril-l bit and another cable adapted to carry a bailing device, said rig comprising: a light open boxlike metal framework in which is mounted a light weight internal combustion engine; speed reducing gearing driven lby said engine; a crank operated by said gearing; a lever fulcrumed between the ends thereof on bearing members forwardly spaced from said crank, the rear end of said lever extending rearwardly for a sufficient distance in a position so as to be alternately raised and released by the crank during the course of its rotary movement, the forward end of said lever carrying -a sheave fand the rear end thereof in posi-tion to be engaged and released by said crank; a lboom att-ached to and rising from the forward portion of the framework, said boom being provided with -two pulleys at the top lthereof; a pair of telescoping shafts rotatably mounted on said framework for independent rotation thereon; a yseparate crank for actuating each shaft; separate reels respectively fixed on said shafts, one of said reels having a cable trained thereabout, the free stretch of which extends under said sheave and over one of said pulleys :and down to the extremity thereof carrying the drill bit; the other of said reel having a separate cable trained there- Cit about, the free portion of which extends over said second pulley and down to lthe end thereof adapted to carry a bailing device. v

2. A light portable .well drilling rig :as defined in claim 1, in which each of said reels is provided with a separate pawl and ratchet lfor holding the reel connected thereto in position adjusted -by its respective crank.

3. A light portable well drilling rig as defined in claim 1 wherein said boom comprises an open A frame the vspaced feet of which are pivotally connected to a forward portion of said framework and the legs of which are guyed intermediately of the lengths thereof to another portion of said framework; said two pulleys being rotatably coaxially mounted at the top converging extremity of said A frame.

4. A 4light portable Well drilling rig, comprising: an open 'boxlike metal framework including a horizontal bottom frame, a vertical front frame and a horizontal top frame; driving mechanism mounted on said bottom frame including a light-weight internal combustion engine, a countershaft driven thereby Iand a pair of spaced apart crank discs driven by said countershaft, said crank discs carrying a crank pin between them; a rocker arm pivo'tally mounted between the ends thereof on said front trame, the forward end of :said rocker arm carrying a sheave and the rear end 4of said arm disposed between said discs and extending for a suicient distance between said discs so as to be alternately raised and released by said crank .pin during the course of its rotary movement; a boom comprising an A shaped forwardly inclined frame mem-ber having the spaced feet thereof hinged to said bottom frame and the converging top thereof provided ,with a pulley, intermediate points on the sides of said A frame member being provided with supporting guy rods connected to said top frame; reel means on said top frame having a cable trained thereover and connected at one end to a drill bit, said cable being trained under said sheave and over said pulley; pawl and ratchet means for adjusting the rotary position of said reel for paying out said cable; and means on said bottom frame Ifor firmly anchoring the rig on a stable support, whereby vigorous drilling operation produced by the light weight driving mechanism will not disturb the rm position of the rig.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 236,492 Harmon Ian. 11, 1881 972,563 .Morgan et al. Oct. 11,1910 977,409 Kirk Nov. 29, 1910 1,269,343 Wacker -1. June 11, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,829 Austria Nov. 25, 1911 109,505 Australia Jan. 8, 1940 1,080,955 France June 2, 1954 

